“Oh, Shane. Wait, what are you doing calling at this hour? Isn’t it like 3 am in LA?”

“Well yes it is, but I’m at Dulles. I was able to get on the red eye last night.”

“Want me to come get you?”

“No, Dane, that’s crazy, You’d just jump in a cab to have to get back into another one. I just wanted to let you know that I was here and that I’d be at your hotel in about 45 minutes.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”

“No really it’s cool. And if you’re up at this hour that means you went running and I’d really prefer it if you showered before I got there.”

“Well if you’re sure. I’ll see you soon.”

“Oh Dana.”

“Yeah.”

“Coffee, lots of coffee. Please. I’m fucking exhausted”

“You got it.”

—

It took until she had finished two cups of coffee before she let Dana talk to her. The look of impatience on Dana’s face amused Shane so much, she wasn’t sure if it was that or caffeine that finally let her think in complete sentences.

“Has anything changed since we spoke?”

“Nothing. I haven’t heard from Alice or our new ‘friend’.”  Dana got up from the chair and began pacing.

“Shane?”

“Yeah.”

“What are we going to do? I’ve been thinking and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to fix this.”

“Which this are you talking about? Your little stalker or you and Al?”

Dana gave Shane a very contemplative look, “I think it has to be the first, Shane. I don’t know if Alice will ever give me another chance, but none of that will matter if we don’t figure out how to handle the other situation.”

Shane clapped a few times, “Finally, you’re thinking straight. OK, well since we both agree,” Shane got up and grabbed her bag.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“Relax, I’m just going across the hall to Alice’s room. I think she probably needs someone around right now and no offense Dane, but I don’t think that’s you. I’ll come by when she leaves for work.”

—

For the second time in three mornings, Alice opened her hotel door expecting to find room service but finding someone else.